Persistence has paid off for Reynolds and Evans
COLLEGE STATION — In fall 2013, at the same time Myles Garrett had nearly every prominent college coach in the country eating out of his hand, Josh Reynolds and Justin Evans were counting their meal money in junior college. The trio gathered under the same roof on Thursday for Texas A&M’s annual pro day, and they collectively offered a first-rate example of how collegians can arrive to prominence from all avenues. Garrett was one of the nation’s top recruits out of high school. Reynolds and Evans weren’t — not even close — with each taking a much more winding expedition to College Station, and eventually the NFL.
The defensive end Garrett is expected to be the top selection in the NFL draft in less than a month. The junior collegians Reynolds and Evans are likely second and third, respectively, among eligible Aggies this year, perhaps in the second and/or third rounds.
“Just thinking about where I came from, and the path I had to take, is just amazing,” said Reynolds, a record-setting receiver at A&M. “It makes me appreciate everything that’s been given to me here, and the opportunity to keep playing football in the NFL.”
Reynolds (6-3, 194) nearly attended A&M out of San Antonio’s Jay High on a partial track scholarship, before choosing to attend Tyler Junior College in dogged pursuit of his football dream four years ago. Reynolds didn’t receive any major football scholarship offers out of Jay.
A&M coach Kevin Sumlin was tipped off to Reynolds’ skills by A&M track coach Pat Henry, and Sumlin visited Tyler to check out Reynolds and a handful of other players. When Sumlin saw the long-legged Reynolds smoothly galloping on the grass, he offered him a scholarship on the spot.
Three years later, Reynolds is leaving A&M with 30 touchdown catches, including the single-season record of 13 in 2014. Jeff Fuller holds the school career record with 34 touchdown catches, but he played four seasons for the Aggies, compared with three for Reynolds.
“I get all of these terms from NFL guys like, ‘He has build-up speed,’ ” Sumlin said during A&M’s pro day in its indoor complex. “Where I come from, speed is speed. All I know is, he runs by people and he catches the ball. He’ll do the same thing at the next level.”
‘Lifelong dream’ becoming reality
Evans (6-0, 199) of Wiggins, Miss., arrived at A&M two years ago after two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, and last season he was named NFL.com’s midseason national defensive player of the year. He wound up leading the 8-5 Aggies in interceptions (four) and was second in tackles (87).
Evans, like Reynolds, was lightly recruited out of high school, but he stuck to his dream of playing college football, and he’s about to cash in on that stubbornness with an NFL paycheck.
“That’s been my lifelong dream,” said Evans, who offered up a vertical jump of 41.5 inches during A&M’s pro day.
In all, 15 Aggies from last year’s team worked out for representatives from all 32 NFL teams, with Garrett the marquee attraction. The Cleveland Browns are expected to select him No. 1 overall on April 27, which would be a first for the Aggies. A&M has had five No. 2 overall selections, the most recent being offensive tackle Luke Joeckel in 2013.
Quarterback Trevor Knight, who played one season at A&M after transferring from Oklahoma, looked sharp in his passing drills Thursday, and he said for now he’s not interested in trying out at any other position like safety or tight end.
“I think I have the tools and the makeup to be successful playing quarterback,” Knight said. “If somewhere down the road the only chance I have to play in the league is another position, I’d be open to it. But right now I’m not even thinking of that — I’m going to go play quarterback.”
Waiting to hear their names Garrett, Reynolds, Evans, defensive end Daeshon Hall and offensive tackles Avery Gennesy and Jermaine Eluemunor all anticipate hearing their names called over the draft’s seven rounds from April 27-29. A handful of the others, including talented-but-oft-troubled receiver Speedy Noil, hope to be picked in the late rounds, or sign a free-agent deal following the draft.
The current Aggies, aiming to improve on three consecutive 8-5 finishes, are winding down spring drills, with the spring game scheduled for April 8. A&M is playing host to “Friday Night Lights” at 8 p.m. Friday at Kyle Field, which is free to the public and, as Sumlin said, much more of a true scrimmage than the scripted spring game.
The Aggies open their season on Sept. 3 at UCLA, a Sunday night game the week before the NFL opens its season in earnest on Sept. 10.